The Best Magnesium Supplement (And How I Found It)

Many readers have asked me to share the supplements I take to keep my magnesium levels up.

At first I was hesitant, but then I realized that what I've learned might help someone else so I finally decided to list them here (including what I've found to be the best magnesium supplement overall).

Why?

Because over the course of a few years I tried a wide range of magnesium supplements in the hope of finding something that would help my various symptoms.

Most either didn’t make any difference to my health or only helped a little … and some even made things worse.

The whole process taught me that not all supplements work the same.

Below I’ve only listed the supplements that have helped me the most. Everything here is something I (or my wife) currently take every day.

Together these magnesium supplements have made a huge impact on my quality of life.

1) Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links. You won’t pay any more for the supplement but I will get a small commission that I then use to offset some of the hosting costs for this site. Your support is very much appreciated!

2) The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of the advice of a healthcare professional. While my wife and I have been taking these supplements every day for years, I can't say how they might affect you. Always consult a doctor if you have health concerns: don't try to self-diagnose!

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How I Found The Best Magnesium Supplement

Since it is technically a metal, it can sometimes be difficult for your body to absorb all the magnesium it needs in order to function. You can’t just gnaw on a chunk of magnesium and have it work (plus you’ll ruin your teeth …).

I started with the most popular brands and tried each myself

In order to make magnesium easier to digest, most supplement makers now bond it with any number of organic materials such as citric acid and malic acid. This tends to make the magnesium much easier to absorb.

However, different bonding processes and different organic materials have resulted in a wide range of supplements to choose from.

With so many different types available, I found it very confusing to figure out what the best magnesium supplement might be for me.

For example, this is an (incomplete) list of the types of magnesium supplements that are available:

Magnesium Ascorbate

Magnesium Aspartate

Magnesium Bicarbonate

Magnesium Carbonate

Magnesium Chloride

Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium Fumarate

Magnesium Gluconate

Magnesium Glutamate

Magnesium Glycinate

Magnesium Hydroxide

Magnesium Lactate

Magnesium Lysinate

Magnesium Malate

Magnesium Orotate

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesium Phosphate

Magnesium Pidolate

Magnesium Sulfate

Magnesium Taurate

​Confusing, right?

So I began by finding out what had worked for other people and then trying each magnesium supplement brand until something worked for me.

It took me a while, but after much searching I found the perfect place to see what has helped other people:

It turned out to be a great way to see which types of magnesium helped people for different symptoms. With thousands of reviews and ratings across hundreds of brands, Amazon gave me a really good list of supplements to try myself.

Without the Amazon reviews I'm not sure I would have found the supplements below.

Isn't There Enough Magnesium In Food?

Food grown in overused soil may have less magnesium

Yes and no.

According to Dr. Carolyn Dean of The Magnesium Miracle, one of the byproducts of industrialized agriculture is that our soil has slowly lost its magnesium content over time.

This means that the same vegetables we eat today may very well have less magnesium than they did 20 years ago.

And unlike calcium most foods aren’t ‘Fortified with Magnesium’, so we may be getting less magnesium than we think from our diet, even if we've been eating the same thing for years.

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Isn’t There Magnesium In A Multivitamin?

The RDA of magnesium is too large to fit into a multivitamin

Again, yes and no.

While many do have magnesium, most multivitamins have only 10% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

So it would be worth your time to check the labels on any vitamins you take to see just how much magnesium you’re getting.

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My Top Three Magnesium Supplements

With that in mind, below is the list of the three magnesium supplements that have helped me the most.

The first is what I consider to be the best magnesium supplement of all the types I've tried.

This is a powder made from magnesium citrate. You just pour it into a glass of water and let it fizz for a minute or two before drinking it. I like it because:

the powder makes it easy to take

it comes in multiple flavors

My wife still takes this on a daily basis but I don’t take it anymore, having replaced it with the Source Naturals Magnesium Malate above. I still like it but the magnesium malate seems to help me just a little bit more. She has a glass before bed each night and it seems to help her quite a bit.

The serving size is two teaspoons of the powder mixed with water for 325mg of magnesium. What's nice is that it is so much easier to take than swallowing large pills.

It also tends to be near the top of the list of bestselling magnesium supplements on Amazon, with thousands of reviews.

As always, you are strongly encouraged to consult with your physician or other qualified medical professional to help determine your own optimal level of magnesium, and to see whether magnesium supplementation is right for you.

Comments

Wow, what a lot of information in the article and subsequent comments! Im in desperate need of help/ advice, so if anyone can respond I would be so grateful. My father (73 years old) has atrial fib, irregular heartbeat, breathing problems. My sister who lives with him did a lot of research and found that magnesium can really help him. However, as you rightly said, there are so many types its like wading through a minefield. Plus all the things that need to be taken along with it as they work together synergistically –– its overwhelming and that’s an understatement! I will be flying out in a month or two to visit them, and I’d like to take supplements for him, so if someone can please advise me re: which magnesium might be most helpful in such a case, please get in touch. Im desperate here. Many thanks.

I trued Natural Calm but it upset my stomach. I’ve used Activation Ease Magnesium chloride spray with great success for anxiety over a year and a half. They provide instructions and a booklet with their product. Sunfood magnesium spray is also made by Activation who makes “EASE”

For anyone who is super sensitive to ingredients, like me, calms has citric acid in. It actually made me worse, have me clicky joints and dried out my cuticles for some reason. I take together magnesium instead, the purest I could find and it works really well.

After researching magnesium for several years, I’ve settled in on an angstrom size form of magnesium for oral, and Sunfood magnesium spray for topical. I also take Epsom salt baths, really for the sulfate, with magnesium being a bonus. Anyone interested can listen to Dr. Gabriel Cousens comments on angstrom magnesium. It doesn’t seem to cause diarrhea, so higher amounts can be used. someone severely deficient in magnesium could die of a heart attack while slowly building up magnesium levels with a form limited by the amount that can be tolerated before getting diarrhea. I met a woman whose daughter worked in the White House. The stress was so bad that it took her about a year to build up magnesium levels in her body.

The Sunfood brand spray doesn’t sting at all. It is a similar product to the Activation Products spray, which I think is mentioned on this site. But the original spray from Activation Products was in a bottle that looked identical to Sunfood’s. But Sunfood’s had a much higher concentration of magnesium, and was a much better value. I have found Activation Products to be a very untrustworthy brand. It looks like they have changed the bottle, and don’t provide milligram information on the label, so it is difficult to compare to Sunfood’s.

Glad to have run into your blog 🙂 I just started taking Calm from Amazon today. I too noticed that it was one of the top sellers in magnesium there. I also use a topical oil as well. I have been suffering with migraines for almost 15 years and the Dr’s only want to prescribe preventative drugs (and all their terrible side effects!). I have spent years trying to nail down my triggers and make life style changes. I no longer take any prescription drugs as they didn’t seem to work anyhow. I am excited to see if the Calm works! Thanks for the information!

I do want to note that I ordered the original, flavorless as the flavored Calm contained Stevia and artificial sweeteners do tend to be trigger for a lot of people. I do not use artificial sweeteners at all. It went down smoothly and I did not find it an issue at all!

Hi, what are the thoughts on Floradix liquid magnesium? My 16yr old daughter has Cerebral Palsy with Dystonia and has now over the last 18 months has developed chronic dizzyness and nausea. She was prescribed 1000iu daily of Vit D3 at the time but as she feels so sick her diet is not as plentiful and balanced as it should be in addition to her struggling to swallow tablets due to her condition.

She’s just seen a dietitian who’s also prescribed Calcium so am curious to see what dose of Mag would be required and if the liquid stuff is any good – i’ve just started her on the box recommended dose of 250mg . I also give her a few squirts of Better You mag oil before bed but have not seen any improvement yet.

Pure Theraputics product, Optimal Magnesium, is also another source for highly absorbable magnesium, which has Albion / TRAACS chelated DiMagnesium Malate and Mg Lysinate Glycinate. Two gel caps provide 250mg of the recommended 400 mg daily value. I think it is one of the best value for money Mg products on the market.

l’ve had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome for at least 4 years. On top of that I developed parahyperthyroidism as a result of long term lithium therapy (discontinued in ’15.) To add insult to injury, I’ve developed osteoporosis from a combination of instant menopause at the age of 48, and the noted problems as stated.

So, I’m going back onto Sensipar (for the hyperparathyroidism), but I REALLY don’t want to take the meds that are currently out there for osteoporosis due to the common side effect of bone pain. Been there, done that from the after-chemo treatments, and…well, let’s just say that the quality of life from the bone pain caused by the Nupogen was not good. Knowing that the medication would be a long term treatment, I’m looking for alternative ways to help combat the osteoporosis.

I was wondering (FINALLY getting to the point!) if anyone knows WHICH form of magnesium, besides mag-oxide, would be the best one to use to help treat osteoporosis?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW: the article was very helpful, and I’m glad that the blog writer was able to finally be successful in his search.

May i Ask how were you diagnose with parahyperthyroidism? I was diagnose spinal osteoarthritis. You need magnesium,calcium,potassium inshort just balance the minerals in your body . Also I highly suggest you eat pineapple everyday because it is rich in bromelain. Its good for spinal health. Also you need vitamin D3 and omega 3.

Hello all , yes Doctors Best magnesium is the best ! I’ve been healthy all my life no Meds , disease , nothing . Then one morning I had non- sustained ventricular tachycardia. A very serious heart attack which can cause death or the need to be resuscitated. I did not need resuscitation but the paramedics immediately put me on a iv drip of magnesium sulfate to restore a steady heart beat. After being in the hospital overnight and tested , the cardiologist found no underlying problems which would have caused my problem. I was released the next morning and that was it. However a couple of weeks later I started to notice my heart was pausing occasionally. I went to my cardiologist, and once again he said there is no underlying cause for the skipped heart beats , and I probably always had them , but after my incident I’m hypersensitive to my heart rhythm . To my surprise my cardiologist recommended 800 mg of magnesium oxide to help lesson the skipped heart beats. I walked out of his office bewildered that he did not put me on a prescription , however after using the oxide form of magnesium all I got was diarrhea. So I did some research and found there were different forms of magnesium . I settled on magnesium glycinate and eventually found Doctors Best on Amazon. After a couple of months ,I’m assuming my tissue had to absorb the magnesium, my heart rhythm is much better. I then added l arginine and taurine, now no skipped beats ! 800 mg mag. 2000 mg taurine 2000 mg l arginine spread out through the day.

Hey
I like that your promoting magnesium. This mineral has definitely changed my life!!
You mentioned Dr. Carolyn Dean and her book. But I’m quite shocked her pico ionic magnesium didn’t hit your top 3 list. I too have tried many magnesiums and found that the pico ionic is the best by far! There are no fillers at all. Is the Doctors choice 99% absorbed?

It all depends on what you want the Magnesium to do for you. I personally take magnesium in the form of magnesium l-threonate for brain function that has helped me for anxiety and stress. I take a product called kiojo and it has other minerals and vitamins in it that work wonders for me for fatigue.

So I read your article to see if my favorite was on there – #1! After a lot of research on ADHD (had my whole life with some symptom changes in my late teens/early twenties – common as the brain goes through it’s last growth spurt) and depression (first significant episode age 12, then 15, then becoming more frequent) I made my way through a variety of supplements, some of which I still take. Three years ago, I started taking Doctor’s Best because of several very technical scientific articles showing relief from depression with magnesium glycinate, lysonate, or taurinate supplements (something to do with helping the serotonin, dopamine and neurotrophic pathways). I literally cannot live without it. I still take my ADHD medication daily, but that works for me. Anti-depressants didn’t. If I stop taking it (I run out, I feel fine) and within a couple weeks, my depression starts to come back. I felt relief in just a couple days. I’m a petite female, I can’t take two pills at once (cramps, nausea, upset stomach). Most days, I actually only take one, though it’s a nice kicker at night with GABA. Highly highly recommend anyone with some brain chemistry problems trying it.

Thank you so much for sharing your information! I hope you continue to have success with his product!

I am going through the exact same process/problems you were, and hoping to end the appointments at ENT. Unfortunately the doctors in my area take 5 months to get a hold of, so currently i am anxious, fidgety, and dizzy and having a hard time coping.

I got a hold of the Dr.Best Mag glycinate from the incredible reviews on iherb.com
I am currently on my 6th day (100mg daily) and do notice a small difference in my relaxation.

If you don’t mind me asking, can you give me a layout of how many months it took for you to see a reduction/cure in your dizziness, and how many months for the anxiety.

Man am I ever happy for your post! Thank you so much for sharing! I too have been suffering (especially the last few months but probably longer) with what I believe now after reading to be mg deficiency! I was blaming my symptoms on everything but they just continued to get worse! I just now started TODAY with the mg supplements I am trying the TRIPLE CALM magnesium I found on amazon bc in the reviews I saw that it had helpe some with their heart palps which I’ve been having! So scary, the doctor just wanted to put me on beta blockers 😬 But anyways, I’ve noticed that after I took my supplement I got a pretty bad headache you to had this happen correct?! So I should give it a few days even a week before I switch supplements?? I’ve order the natures calm as well and will probably order the drs choice as well to try. Since you said it’s a matter of trying different ones to figure out what’s best for you! But just wanted to get your opinion on the headache, I thought I’d seen where you said you had a few negatives before the positives! But again I can not thank you enough for your post. I’ve been at my wits end and in tears bc I just don’t know what’s wrong with me! Been to the doctors and everything with no help. So I’m REALLY hoping this is it, especially considering I have several of the symptoms and haven’t had them before. Especially the heart problems! And yes I’ve had my heart checked and it’s healthy (:

Someone asked earlier whether you tried Carolyn Dean’s ReMag product. The question went unanswered. I see that a couple of people, including yourself, read her book, but I do not see her product listed or mentioned anywhere. ReMag looks to me like an excellent magnesium supplement. Could you comment on that, please? Thank you kindly, Elliot
t

Hi Elliot. I did try ReMag for about a month. It was definitely nice to my digestive system, and I found the droplets very easy to take, but after being off the glycinate for a while I felt like my anxiety was starting to come back so I stopped the ReMag.

That said, many people have written in to say they’ve had success with ReMag.

So ReMag isn’t here because I only wanted to list the types of magnesium I currently take on a daily basis (I actually had it listed here for the month that I tried it) 🙂

Sir could you please share with us how you take all these supplements? Do you take it together and what dosage?
I have also come to the conclusion that different types of Mg have different effects on the body.
And from reading posts like yours I have also managed to nail the top 5 supplements. ReMag and Theronate is not here But you should reconsider them. Like you said ReMag did not work for you well.
So that is why I believe there should be a combination?
I am just now trying to find if we can take these different variations of Mg on alternative days or have the ones that works for us the best for our primary condition daily. Then have the other version on alternative days.
Would appreciate your input.
Thanks for taking the time and sharing this valuable information

I am 47 years female living in Delhi, India. I have been chronically suffering from lower back pains & right shoulder pain. I have been taking Calcium Supplements and also undergoing regular Physiotherapy. But, to no avail. Recently, I have come to know about Magnesium Supplements. Please help with the correct supplement.

rub magnesium oil on your shoulders and back. (magnesium chloride and water) You can find on the internet. magnesium taurate is a good form to take as a pill. Good luck. Ease up on the calcium. Too much depletes magnesium.

Too much calcium – most on the market are made of crushed rock not from a plant source makes bones brittle and should not be consumed unless in plant form. It builds up in your blood thus leading to osteoporosis.

Take Doctors-Best magnesium Glycinate available on amazon india… Also take liquid potassium supplements available at any indian pharmacy like POTKLOR or any similar…. take 1 table-spoon mixed in 1 glass of water everyday…. Calcium supplements are not absorbed well by the body and cause joint pains…. take buttermilk (Chaas) 3-4 times a day instead to get your calcium and also take eggs occasionally…..

Several people commented that supplementing with magnesium eases anxiety symptoms. I have always found the opposite; with the mental condition occurring first. Chronic anxiety reduces magnesium levels throughout the day (zinc as well). Acknowledging and working through the cause of the condition is essential for maintaining a well-balanced body. When the mind is healthy, the body works far more efficiently.

My head is spinning after a couple hours of trying to find a good Magnesium Citrate (complex) 160 mg capsule recommended for my daughter by her pediatrician. There is so much out there and there is also, if I’m to believe reviews, a lot of poor quality products too. I became frustrated after reading reviews on Amazon where there actually started being reviews of reviews. :/ Do you have any recommendations of the above that is a good quality product that I can feel good about giving to my child?

Try Magnesium Chloride. You can get it in solution or tablets. Solution is put into water and can be disguised for a child. This supplement has the highest bioavailability of all that I know. It’s only drawback is its bitter salty taste. You have to take it in water. I make up a l litre jug of water with my doses in (4 doses for me which gives 600mg of elemental Mg) and drink it during the day. Each dose is 2.5ml or half a teaspoon. Ionic Magnesium is one brand as is Dr Dean’s ReMag (very expensive but good). We make our own here in the UK and have all the locals reviving from various illnesses and conditions!! Good luck and good health, Ches

I agree with Magnesium chloride. In the absence of any studies comparing labelled Magnesium (Mg25) across different salts for absorption, its extreme dissociation of the mg and chloride ions, and its being the primordially most available form in the ancient oceans for organisms make it the best logical no-brainer: it’s going to pass through the gut faster than anything, and leave the least in the colon to cause the runs.

Maybe mag bisglycinate is better, but it seems based more on nutraceutical company song and dance hype than peer-reviewed research on actual bioavailability.

With one caveat: do not take magnesium in conjunction with an calcium-rich foods or supplements. In fact, take it on an empty stomach.

Here’s another thing: don’t take magnesium pills. they invariably compound them with some kind of binder (ironically magnesium stearate binder is highly popular), which just binds the mg supplement in a waxy matrix that makes it harder for the stomach to process it.

Finally, magnesium tastes as bad as it works good. It is the worst tasting, after magnesium sulphate. So mix it with a glass of water, add a bit of lemon juice and sweetener, and you’ll be OK.

Hi Andrew, I have started taking Dr Best tablets as the magnesium tablets I was taking before were leading to stomach pains and diarrhoea. I have ADHD, I am not taking prescription medication (stimulants). Studies show that magnesium efficiency is a factor in ADHD.

I have a few questions;

1) Could you confirm there is meant to be a slight odour/different taste in the Dr Best tablets?

2) I notice you take 200 mg of the Dr Best per day, I wanted to get the required 400mg per days for magnesium. Could I take 2 tablets in the morning and 2 in the evening. Or 4 in the evening just before bed?

It is best to stretch the magnesium and take it throughout the day. So 2 in the morning and 2 at night is perfectly fine. I also apply magnesium oil and lotion externally to get better absorption of magnesium without worrying about any laxative effect. Plus don’t forget to take a good dose of VitD3 as well, I take 7000 IU of D and ingest and apply topically a total of 700 mg of Elemental Magnesium a day too, as these two work in tandem and need each other to perform the cell duties we need. These two also help Calcium to absorb into our bones properly too, without it forming kidney stones.

Hi Atif, in answer to your question regarding Doctors Best High Absorbtion 100% chelated magnesium, yes! They do have a rather strange aroma to them? Maybe it is because of the plastic container they are in? Or maybe they are supposed to smell like this, but yes, actually I have just smelled the pot again and it might sound strange? But they remind me of PEANUT SMELL! I had chronical severe panic attacks for 31 years and the only thing that helped was when I was put on Ativan/lorazepam! It literally saved my life, but with severe consequences when I was changed to Valium to get me off the Ativan. However, I decided to take Magnesium? I have never had a panic attack since and I mean I had them constantly day in day out, passed out everywhere, you name it I did it, with horrific symptoms. I have always used Doctors Best, and to be quite honest although taking them for a couple of years? I realised I was only taking 2 a day instead of 4! lol. It was only when I was reading through all my vitamins etc that I noticed I should take 4! Now whilst my panic attacks stopped and I have become extremely confident something I never was, I suffer absolute chronic severe insomnia! So maybe I should take two before I retire! And if that works I will be well pleased. And yes, take two tablets a day WITH OR WITHOUT FOOD! And I would take the other two about an hour before you retire. The effects won’t be immediate unless of course, you have been taking them for a while. And yes, Erica is absolutely correct! Take a good dose of Vitamin D3, take one a day with food, and the one I buy is from Amazon.co.uk from a company called INCITE or the brand name and it is Vitamin D3 5000IU, The Doctors Best one I take contains glycinate. I hope this is of help to you. And good luck! Now let me look for the website I was searching for haha – cooking oils! lol Rosina Lock

Magnesium intake have to be speead during the day for a better absorption as stronger doses in one go will give you digestion issue and one every so often you need to take silica for a better absorption &;stop tummy discomfort (Mg free that day. It is advise every 15 days) I reached the same conclusion : Mg Malate is one of the best I found.

C.O. Some Magnesium tablets might say to take them on empty tummy or with food? Mine says with our without food hon. If you aren’t sure, look on the label of the product you buy and you will undoubtedly find your answer!
Best wishes Rosina Lock

Hi! I have chronic back pain issues which prevent me from doing lots of things I was able to do previously. I had a back injury at work 13 years ago, so it’s been a long time and I feel depressed at times. The doc says that ionic magnesium will help my muscles and muscle contractions. That would be great! I’m just wondering how Ionic Magnesium is different from all the other kinds you mention and suggest.

I have been using Dr. Best magnesium glycinate since Oct. I started it slowly with only 300mg a day. Then a couple of months of 500mg. Now it’s been 600mg for 2 months. I have reduced anxiety, less rls, improved sleep, but not improved migraines which I was really hoping for. I’ve read therapeutic doses can be up to 1,000 mg daily. How long should I give each new dosage to work? I don’t really want to take 10 of these pills a day ( in addition to 3 vitamins & 3 supplements ), but if it reduced my headaches

Magnesium Glycinate does not seem to work for me. I personally take the Magnesium Oxide bought at WalMart. It has Magnesium Stearate in it which is controversial, but is in many supplements, so it is often hard to avoid. I recommend that you try a different type of Magnesium or add in some B6 or D3 to help with absorption. In my experience with supplements I felt significant relief in the first week and full recovery in about 8 weeks. I’ve never taken over 250 mg of Magnesium a day. But I also take B6, D3 (high dose), and K2. The MicroNutrient blood test will tell you where you are at with all of these (it tests 35 nutrients out of 90 known). In my opinion, that test is currently the easiest way to ensure you are heading in the right direction with what your body needs most right now. You can get it done at one of those independent labs. Hope this helps!

Glad I stumbled upon your site. Such good info! Thank you for sharing your experience. This past Monday, I had purchased the same Drs. Best magnesium since the magnesium malate I’ve been taking has caused some intestinal issues.

Reading so much on-line about Magnesium. I’m in my mid 50’s…a youthful mid-50’s (people think I’m in my 40’s and have a hard time processing that I have a 36 yr. old daughter) even though I have a myriad of health issues possibly attributed to long-term magnesium deficiency.

Background, autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto) for 36 yrs; serious bone density issues (due to thyroid meds…over-medicated a few times for years); undiagnosed gastro issues for years (homemade Kefir is a blessing); major job stress from 2009 – 2013 (still in same job for 7 years now!); plus around the end of 2010 parental unit got Alzheimer’s and is hanging on by a thread; tore meniscus 2-years ago and gained 18 lbs due to inability to exercise while awaiting surgery/recovery; in that time, cholesterol shot up and so did blood glucose (pre-diabetic); and to illustrate previous injuries to both arms, had a major bicycle accident 12.5 years ago resulting in broken left forearm requiring surgery, and had crushed my right wrist at 26 yrs old). Under stress, I tend to have an inflammatory response which I have felt in my upper back, arms down to my hands; at one point I developed serious eye-twitching, and had calf and toe cramps almost every morning as I awoke, have been seriously tired, and have suffered from depression from all the stress and issues. I am definitely lacking sleep and have suffered from “brain fog.” Also was told by the knee surgeon, have arthritis in knee, and also have inflammation in some fingers.

Used to deal with stress prior to all this “activity” by exercising, and was very active my entire life…biked, hiked, exercised (at 45 – 50 was in the best shape of my life!), traveled and have lots of hobbies, friends and family involvement. My life has seriously changed in the past 5+ years since parent got Alz and job stress continued. I am doing what I can to keep my head above water since exercise has not been an option due to lack of time because of long work hours & weekly visits to parent who is over an hour away. I cannot do less at work since I am the most senior person there and I’ve been unable to not accept more responsibility which just lead to an unwanted promotion (had to take it since it will benefit my retirement). Sometimes I cannot believe the inability to stop certain unwanted things from happening at work (that is, if I wanted more responsibility or a promotion, I’m sure it would be out of reach!). In 1.5 – 2 years max, I will look forward to retiring with 37 years in.

Due to my bone density issues, my doctors had put me on over 1260 mgs of Calcium citrate which also has 1,000 IU Vit. D3, for over 10 years now. As far as my labs go, I have never been Vit. D deficient. Add to that mix, B12, Biotin, Vit. C & K2 (used to take a b-complex, but b-6 was high so I was taken off them).

More recently, I’ve wondered why I have not had more success building bone, although my endocrinologist had tested me last year and indicated that I still do have bone turnover. Hence, my on-line search on Calcium absorption, when I found a video by Dr. Thomas Levy (cardiologist/JD), Death by Calcium, which has left me seriously concerned about my calcium intake and lead me be informed of the need for both calcium/magnesium to build bone.

I had taken my calcium supplements 4 hrs after each thyroid med in-take, which is first thing in the a.m., and again around 6:00 p.m. which means that I take something every 4 hours to avoid interference (thyroid meds/calcium/thyroid meds/calcium).

A few weeks ago after reading about magnesium at various sites and finding Dr. Carolyn Dean’s booklet download and other info (at first I got angry that my doctors had not informed me about the importance of also supplementing with magnesium to build bone), I decided to try magnesium malate. I took half my calcium (about 630 mg’s/ Vit D3 @ 500 IU ) and took 1-2 magnesium malate pills before bed. I actually felt worse at first (tired & draggy) so I added one more pill (3 magnesium malate’s @ 425 mg’s prior to bed). Within the first week of the increased dose, I was getting tired earlier, sleeping more soundly, and had overall more energy during the day without the usual drowsiness. And, my mood lifted considerably! However, and this is a big however, my arms down to my hands feel numb and tingly. I’ve googled this and although I’ve read that these symptoms may not be directly attributed or caused by the magnesium, that it could be the calcium, vitamin D, or something else that was present prior to taking the magnesium. I am now at a loss. BTW–I had not started taking the magnesium slowly…although I started with 1 pill a night, I went from 1 – 3 pills within 2 weeks. I have not read extensively about magnesium, but have purchased Dr. Dean’s book and look forward to reading and learning more. From my on-line inquiries, it appears that others have/do have the same neuropathic response after taking magnesium.

I just purchased an on-line RBC Magnesium lab test and have stopped taking everything in preparation for the labs that I will be doing this coming Monday and look forward to seeing what the results are.

Do you have any knowledge or experience that you can pass along with respect to the side effects I appear to be having?

I recommend one of two things, the MicroNutrient blood test to see what is out of whack. Also, I think people’s Vit D3 level should be at 45-55 minimum. I feel best when mine is at about 50. Most doctors consider 20 okay, but that is very low. It is challenging to keep things at the right levels with a variety of supplements. I also sometimes stop all supplements for a week or so and re-evaluate my symptoms. If you google “xyz symptom” plus “symptom of deficiency” you will often find potential answers. I commented to someone above too, feel free to read if you like. Hope this helps!

I had much the same experience as you, not knowing what was wrong and then after months of research, finding magnesium deficiency through Dr Carolyn Deans book The Magnesium Miracle. I take around 600mg of magnesium chloride. Like yourself, I was so happy that ALL my symptoms disappeared, I wanted to tell the world. It’s difficult to get people to understand how important this alkaline mineral is and how vital it is to keep the calcium down with a 1:1 ratio calcium to magnesium. Slowly people are learning and more medics are taking notice.

We are both trying to give this information to as many people as possible and I hope your website is successful at doing just that. Good luck to you and good health always, Ches

Thanks for the post Mr. McVagh. I am in my early 20’s and I am suffering from anxiety and depression.I have started doing meditation and on thoroughly researching my dietary habits , I came to the conclusion that I have low magnesium content in my body.I have never tried any supplements in my life except for Omega-3 Cod liver Capsules with Vitamin D.I would like to know if there are any chances of side-effect if I consume chelated magnesium capsules with Cod liver Capsules.Any advice on this is highly appreciated.

Hi Raj, I also take chelated magnesium capsules Doctors Best, and yes, I take cod liver oil capsules or pure cod liver oil, have been for about a year, with no known side effects. Cod liver oil is a brilliant supplement! I also take Vit D3, and quite a few other supplements without any side effects. Hope this is of help. Rosina Lock

Hi Dave,
I have Cystitis and i like the fact that you can take it in a powder form, my only problem is will it affect my bladder being that the Vitality natural calm might be too acidic. I don’t like swallowing pills and sometimes have a hard time so anything liquid or powder form works for me.

Hi Brigitte. I wouldn’t stop taking any prescription medications without talking to your doctor first. If you can, maybe see if they will test your magnesium levels for you? That might help point you in the right direction.

Hello Andrew,
Thanks for all your information.
I saw you mention above that you take two Glycinate and three Malate for a Total of 425mg a day.
But when added up, two of the Doctors best glycinate is 200mg and three of the Source naturals Malate is 425mg. So all together that would be a total of 625mg of magnesium for the day.
Just wanted your explanation & input, thanks again.

I am so grateful that someone suggested to not overdo it on Vitamin D from supplements, also that Calcium supplements should be avoided. I definitely have Mg deficiency and I’m trying to tweak things. It is a process, isn’t it.

The Natural Calm’s stevia is so strong it makes me sick. I used to take that but can’t stomach it anymore. I can’t believe it’s so hard to find a magnesium supplement that actually works.
I bought some Magnesium orotate and found out it is made from milk and I have a dairy allergy. Then I bought liquid magnesium with calcium and found out they weren’t liquid at all but horse pills. I like Solaray because I trust them, I don’t really trust Doctor’s Best nor Source Naturals and I’ve been taking vitamins for 20 years. If you aren’t taking citrate, you aren’t absorbing it.

I m 23 years old I have same problems.. mt handand feet are cold and wet and I m felling dizziness sometimes I feel my heart is beat is very fast I think my Blood pressure is low so why I used more salts and calcium but my condition still remaind the same please help me I am very woried I am felling anxiety and depressed all the time.. can magnesium help for me?? Can blood test for my condition? Reply me ASAP.

First, THANK YOU for this site as the info here is most invaluable to someone like me who is desperately searching for answers regarding vestibular migraines.

Two months ago, I had a sudden, bad headache, with no prior history of migraines, and my life has not been the same since. The days since have been filled with daily headaches and stabbing head pain (thankfully, the daily headaches have stopped but the stabbing pain continues on/off), extremely LOUD tinnitus, fullness and crackling in my ears (they never pop, no matter what I do), diminished hearing, distorted hearing, balance problems and, the worst of all, sudden, debilitating attacks of vertigo…like I’m rocking on a boat (not spinning). When those happen, I cannot move my head or my body as it makes it much worse and the attacks are lasting longer in length with each subsequent one (I’ve had four so far). I’ve even stopped driving as I am scared to death it will hit me while I’m on the road. Of course, this has negatively affected my life, along with the all the awful symptoms.

My family doctor was of no help, so I saw an ENT for evaluation. After a CT Scan (sinus) and hearing test…and after a round of antibiotics, Zyrtec, and and two rounds of Flonase…his assessment is that I may have vestibular migraines. There was no conclusion diagnosis, although his suggestions of remedies were varied: sinus surgery, tube in my ear, hearing aids, one of three medications (antidepressant, anti-seizure, or beta-blocker), see a neurologist, or, at the very least, start magnesium supplements. Well, you can guess which I chose!

I just today bought some Nature Made Magnesium tablets, 250 mg., which are Magnesium Oxide. I was given no recommendation of brands, only that I was to start with the lowest amount possible and work my way up to avoid intestinal distress. So, you see why your information is such a Godsend! Again, THANK YOU! I pray magnesium is the answer as I am miserable with all these varying symptoms, most especially not knowing when one of the horrid vertigo attacks will happen as they’re SO very scary!

All of your symptoms sound like Ménière’s disease. I was diagnosed in 2010. I’ve been searching for a solution to cope with the symptoms and reduce the number of episodes of the disease. I’ve just started taking Magnesuium. It’s helped with the tinnitus a bit and I haven’t had a migraine or vertigo in 2 weeks, although I have experienced fullness of the ear and slight imbalance. I’m keeping a journal of what works or doesn’t. I’m also experiementing with which type of Magnesium works for me. I take one day at a time. It’s frustrating not feeling 100% though. I sympathize with what you’re going through.

I too had dizzy spells from vertigo. Tried medication but after meds ran out, the dizziness came back. Did research on vitamins and found that niacin (non flush) helps. Will make your skin feel hot but wears off in about 10 minutes. You can take 250 mg. to 500 mg. after your largest meal to minimize the flush. Google niacin , which is B3 ( not niacinamide) for vertigo. I do take a B-Complex but I take a niacin pill separately. Helps me a lot and I hope it will help you too.

I have many mag deficiency problems – leg cramps and restless legs is what started me taking it but I also get migraines, suffer from anxiety, have fibro-myalgia and more. My question is: Do you take all three or just the first two, or only one. I currently take Nature Made Calcium Magnesium Zinc with D (133 mg Mag Oxide), and an additional Nature Made 250 mg Magnesium (Mag Oxide) 1 of each daily after dinner. This may or may not be causing my intestinal problems (though my other problems seem to be much better). I see that you say the oxide is the worst offender and I am happy to change, I just want to get it right. Thank you so much. Any guidance (beyond this wonderful site) is appreciated.

In a nutshell, I would recommend taking more of the right form of magnesium for your body’s needs and maybe consider ditching the additional supplementation of calcium & D in favor of getting it naturally through your diet …. for now. Adequate levels of magnesium are essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and vitamin D. Consuming more eggs, cod liver oil, fatty fish, mushrooms or getting more sun for the natural D. Synthetic D3 deplete magnesium among other things.

Leg cramps, restless legs, migraines and anxiety are all symptoms of magnesium deficiency. The recommended daily allows for mag is around 450 mg a day. Many prominent researchers feel that the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for magnesium is far too low, and is set at the minimum acceptable level to stave off deficiency symptoms, not at the optimum to ensure good health. A better rule of thumb is to take 5X your body weight in mgs of Mg (e.g. If you weigh 100 lbs, take 500 mgs Mg.) Research studies have shown Magnesium Oxide to be one of the least absorbable forms. (only absorbing 4%) It’s hard to take this form at the higher levels necessary to correct a deficiency mainly due to the fact that it is prone to cause a laxative effect. Glycine is a well-known calming amino acid. Magnesium Glycinate has good bioavailability and does not have a laxative effect since glycine is actively transported through the intestinal wall. Due to the calming and relaxing effect of both glycine and magnesium, this combination has been used successfully for chronic pain and muscle hyper tonicity. As mentioned in the article Magnesium Malate is a good form with high bioavailiblity. It has been studied for use in fibromyalgia. Since malate is a substrate in the cellular energy cycle, it can help improve ATP production; there is some preliminary evidence that it may reduce muscle pain and tender points in fibromyalgia patients.

When trying to improve your magnesium levels it best to get your calcium directly from your food and not an additional supplement. It’s important to note that studies have shown that when magnesium intake is low, calcium supplementation may reduce magnesium absorption and retention.And, whereas calcium supplementation can have negative effects on magnesium levels, magnesium supplementation actually improves the body’s use of calcium. When you get enough magnesium in your body, you’ll make better use of the calcium already in your diet. When you’re trying to raise your mag levels …additional calcium supplementation can be counterproductive. The same is true for those taking mega doses of synthetic Vitamin D3. Magnesium is used in vitamin D metabolism.. supplementing with super high levels could cause an even greater magnesium deficiency.

Hi Kerry. I take the first two and my wife takes the third. I take the first in the morning with breakfast, and the second about an hour before bed. It is roughly 425mg of magnesium each day, and so far it doesn’t cause any GI issues for me.

What type of magnesium do you take each day? Are you staggering it throughout the day so you do not get the laxative affect?

I stopped taking all my supplements since I’ve been having some bad experience without having a bathroom nearby. I need to get it figured out by testing each one individually so I figure out what is causing it. Thanks for your input.

Hi Dave. I take magnesium glycinate in the morning and magnesium malate in the evening. It comes out to about 425mg of magnesium each day, with two glycinate pills in the morning and three malate before bed.

That seems to be about as much as I can tolerate without the GI issues you mentioned. Fortunately 425mg seems to be enough to keep most of my symptoms at bay.

It was definitely a matter of testing for me though, for both the type of magnesium as well as time of day.

I hope you find something that works for you – please stop back and let us know how it goes! 🙂

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